When Missing Crayons was Your Biggest Worry
by MutedClamour
Summary: In Progress. Kirk/Bones. When Jim is playing around the science labs the crew ends up with the problem of what to do with a two year old captain. Friendship is tested when Bones is faced with babysitting a slowly aging Kirk. Kid!Kirk on many ages.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : **Just wanted a break from the usual serious romances and/or angst and wanted to be silly with this fic.

**Disclaimer; **I own nothing but the story itself.

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Panic was in the air as the bridge crew paced back in forth, passing the two year old Jim Kirk sitting in his Captain's chair. Spock had been kneeling in front of the younger version of his captain in interest.

"Fascinating." The Vulcan murmured, examining the blond boy. Jim tilted his head curiously in turn. "It seems the Captain has taken to his two year old form and has lost all remembrance of his older self." Spock explained as Kirk began entertaining himself with the long sleeves of his shirt, flailing his arms and accidently hitting the half-Vulcan with the fabric. He stopped immediately as Spock raised a brow, and stifled his laughter at the funny expression.

"Who the _hell_ is gonna take care of him?" Bones asked, and was quickly swatted in the arm by Uhura, who pointed at the little blond sitting not far off. McCoy quickly shut his mouth and hoped the two year old did not hear his special choice of wording. The crew relaxed as the small boy seemed unfazed, leaning over the armrest to reach the controls, wanting to press the small buttons. Spock quickly picked up the toddler and received a sound of distaste from the young boy who tried to scramble out of his arms.

"No! no!" Jim complained, unable to escape from the Vulcan's tight hold. Uhura quickly approached the two and took the small captain into her arms. She rubbed at his back, a slight awkwardness in her movements as she thought of herself comforting the much older James T. Kirk.

"Spock will obviously have to take over as Captain while we try and figure this out." Nyota began, continuing to hold the much more calmed toddler in her arms. "Chekov, you are the youngest, do you think you could take care of the ca- Jim?" She turned towards the ensign.

The teen quickly picked up the boy from Uhura's arms and tried to hold him properly with his weak strength. Jim began groan in distress which caught the navigator off guard and began to panic as well.

"I'm sorvy, Kepten, I'm sorvy. I'm trying!" Chekov said; startled and still trying to hold him properly, no help with the blond boy's arms waving around.

"Hand the guy over here." Bones ordered and was quickly passed Jim. Pavel slumped back to his chair, a bit embarrassed but was comforted as Sulu gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. McCoy scowled as Jim stared at the new face in front of him. The boy seemed to giggle at the doctor's expression which cause the whole crew to stare in awe. "Well isn't this a kick in the pants?" Leonard murmured as Jim began touching at his face, gripping at the older man's cheeks and laughing at the annoyed look he received. McCoy took a moment to turn towards the rest of the crew, seeing their shocked faces besides Spock's and could not help but say,

"What?"

"It would seem you are the most suitable person to take care of the Captain in his current condition, Dr. McCoy." Spock stated, his arms moving to his back as he watched the small blond pulling at the doctor's shirt in amusement.

"What? No! I'm a doctor, not a frikin babysitter!" Bones growled lowly.

"It will only be a while, atleast until we figure out what's wrong with him." Uhura urged, looking at him hopefully.

"The kid was found in the science labs, that idiot probably started playing with something, we just need to figure out what it was." McCoy frowned and was suddenly slapped by a small hand at his face. Maybe there was still some of the old Kirk in there."Why can't you do it? The kid likes you too."

"In addition to the Captain's liking to the Lieutenant, we remain responsible for our current mission and require her assistance in the Bridge. As the need for your medical skill is unneeded for the moment, you are the prime candidate in watching over the Captain, Dr. McCoy." Spock explained.

"Fine, fine, whatever." Bones took a moment to glare at the Vulcan and was returned with an indifferent stare, which only caused his blood to boil even more. _Damn green blooded hobgoblin... _

When all was settled, the crew had sent some people to the science lab where the captain was found to look for what ever Jim might have touched or perhaps ingested. In the meantime, every one else in the bridge returned to their stations leaving the annoyed doctor by himself and still holding the toddler in his arms. Bones looked down towards the small boy, seeing the sharp blue orbs staring back at him curiously.

"I guess it's just you and me, little buddy." McCoy murmured. "I guess I should try and get a diagnostic on you." He started walking towards the sickbay, not caring that the blond barely knew what he was talking about. Nearing the area, a faint smell hit his noise and he grimaced. He stretched his arms in front of him to properly look at Jim, who was nibbling at his shirt again.

"Please tell me that isn't you." McCoy practically looked at Kirk pleadingly and received a small giggle from the toddler. _Oh god._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thank you all for the reviews! I was so shocked to see my inbox full this morning with messages from this site, haha. You guys are great. Just a minor note for this chapter, if you don't really understand the time altering thing in the middle just think of a tape rewinder and it should make more sense, if not, then I just fail at description. On to the story~

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**Chapter 2**

"Oh my." Chapel gasped as Bones entered the Medbay carrying the small Jim Kirk. She was quick to follow the doctor's side as Leonard set the toddler onto the bed. He reached for his tricorder and sat down beside the boy, scanning him while the blond happily played with Nurse Chapel.

"What a charming little boy." The nurse smiled softly, running a hand through the boy's short blond locks.

"_That_ charming little boy is our captain." Bones commented; trying to read at the information sent to him on the small machine. The boy was completely fine, no traces of dangerous chemicals in his system or signs of infection. Nurse Chapel seemed a bit taken back by McCoy's comment and looked at the boy again, examining him closer.

"The Captain? Doctor, you cannot be serious." The blond woman turned to Leonard.

"Oh, but I'm very serious, Nurse." McCoy scowled slightly and put his tricorder away.

"What shall we do with him?" Chapel asked, turning to smile at the boy on the bed. She could begin to see the small resemblance in the two year old and the older Jim Kirk that she knew. The boy's hair was a tad lighter, but there was no mistaking those striking blue eyes that stared at her now.

"Well first, he needs to get changed." Bones murmured, eyes moving towards his assistant. The woman stared back at the doctor in turn, battling the scowl that was appearing on his face. He eventually lost.

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"Can you say 'Bones'?" McCoy asked, dragging his chair forward to sit in front of the toddler on his desk. With nothing else to do, he had taken to teaching his captain a few words and names so he wouldn't simply whine a 'yes' or 'no' around people. Jim had managed to say 'Spock' and 'Sulu' easily enough, but still struggled with other names such as 'Uhura" or "Chapel".

The boy nibbled at large collar of his newly cleaned shirt quietly and looked at the doctor in confusion. The older man ran his hands down his face in exhaustion. People were doing their jobs and here he was stuck babysitting.

As if it were any more possible, Jim in his toddler self seemed to attract more girls than his older self and Bones had to practically fight them off from hugging at the young captain when they wandered by the sickbay. The only woman that McCoy actually trusted enough let touch Jim so far had been Nurse Chapel, who had recently made the boy something to eat. The toddler seemed quite taken with her as well.

"Bones!" The doctor suddenly raised his head from his hands and stared at the blond. The boy was grinning now, clasping his hands together. "Bones! Bones! Bones!" The toddler repeated happily and McCoy couldn't help but grin.

"I guess we can go on to another one now then." The doctor murmured, crossing his arms and setting them on the desk so he could rest his chin there. "Can you say Leonard McCoy? McCoy?"

The boy paused for a moment and stared at the older man before trying the new name. "'Coy!"

"No…_Mc_Coy. Try again." Bones said, as the boy's attention switched to the doctor's arms, trying to pull them away from their folded position.

"'Coy."

"_Mc_Coy."

" 'Coy!"

The doctor raised his arms in defeat and the toddler copied him and raised his arms as well. Bones sighed heavily, and continued to watch the small boy. Even in his toddler stage, Jim managed to annoy McCoy the same way that he usually did. '_Lucky punk, first he's captain now people are changing his diapers, everything is cut out for James frikin T. Kirk.'_

"Spock!" The small boy quickly greeted, pointing at the Vulcan entering. Spock gave a short nod as he stepped passed the doorway and approached the tired Bones sitting at his desk.

"So have you found anything yet?" McCoy asked lowly, staring at Jim, who was pulling at the First Officer's shirt when he came close enough. Bones was quick to stop Kirk from standing on the desk when the boy tried to reach up to touch for he thought would be Spock's ears. The Vulcan continued to stand unfazed, giving Jim a small stare as Bones set him on his lap where he couldn't run around.

"Indeed, we have." The First Officer answered, quickly pulling a small broken vial from behind him and handing it to McCoy. "We found it in the biochemistry labs; the vial had been holding a time altering substance."

"Time altering?"

"The substance was often used during explorations in time altering planets that quicken one's growth. The main idea is for it to assist one's body in returning to its original age. " Spock continued to explain. "It is completely harmless and the captain is in no danger what so ever. Though ironically the only way to be rid of its influence is time itself."

"So you're saying there's no actual cure and that we're just going to have to wait for the stuff to wear off on him and he goes back to normal?" Bones asked, turning for a second to snatch his PADD out of Jim's hands. "That's not a toy."

"Want it. Want it!" Jim complained. "Nooo."

"That is correct." Spock nodded slightly.

"And how long will this take exactly?" Bones inquired, while trying to keep his PADD out of reach from the distressed Jim. The boy waved his legs and arms trying to get free, while moaning in annoyance.

"The average time for one to return to their original self is an estimated ten hours depending on the amount of the substance taken." The half-Vulcan began. "Seeing as the Captain has ingested more than the usual amount, the time for his recovery shall be an estimated 168 hours or simply put, one week."

"One week?!" McCoy suddenly exclaimed catching both Jim and Spock off guard. "I can't babysit for a week! Are you out of your Vulcan mind?!"

"You may rest assured that while the Captain shall slowly age, he will come to an age when your supervision is no longer completely necessary."

"So what you're telling me, instead of just babysitting a toddler, we'll be seeing even a teenage Jim running around eventually?" Leonard asked curiously; almost afraid of the half-Vulcan's coming answer.

"Indeed."

"I'd rather change diapers than play youth worker for a teenaged Captain going through puberty!" Bones growled, which caused the boy to flinch and show a small tint of fear in his face. He began to cry.

Leonard groaned and forced himself to calm down, loosening his hold around the toddler. He began bouncing Jim on his lap to stop him from struggling in his arms and relax somewhat. The boy quickly stopped and let himself enjoy the bouncing sensation while his small hands settled down over Bones' as the two men continued to talk.

"Depending at the speed of his recovery, the captain's memory may return by that time and be much simpler to manage." Spock pointed out, in a tone that sounded almost comforting to the doctor.

"The possibility of having Jim back but stuck in a teens body that exciting of an idea either." Bones ran a hand across his face. He really wasn't cut out for this. He began making a mental list of all the things Jim would have to pay him back with, the first thing being a drink and maybe a _very_ extended shore leave. "Anything else I need to know about, Spock?"

"No, that would be all." The other man said plainly and Bones simply waved him off. When the half-Vulcan left, McCoy closed his eyes tiredly. The kid would probably need a nap soon and Bones really wouldn't mind joining him for a short while. He felt a small tug at his shirt and opened his eyes slightly.

"Muh'coy." Jim murmured up at the frustrated looking man above him. Bones glanced down at the frowning boy on his lap and sighed, running a hand over his head.

"Good job."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: This one is a much longer chapter, mostly because I will be unable to update for about a week. I hope you guys enjoy it, and once again, thanks for all the reviews. I'll try to work on this fic while I'm away. Anyways, on to the story~

**Chapter 3**

"Bones! Bones! Wake up!" McCoy groaned at the sound and shifted to the other side of his bed. The voice continued and was quickly getting on his nerves. _What time was it? Probably too early. _He tried covering his head with his pillow, but suddenly froze when a large weight fell onto his chest.

"Wake up, you sleepyhead!" The child like voice continued, shaking him from his shoulders. Bones rubbed at his eyes. Something felt off, toddlers shouldn't be speaking that well, or be that heavy. The boy tried poking his head from under Bones' pillow to see the man's face. "Are you dead?" The childish voice asked in a slightly hushed tone. McCoy shifted to look at the curious face in front of him. That was no toddler.

Leonard quickly sat up, scaring the boy over him and causing him to fall backwards onto the piled sheets. There in front of him was a slightly older Jim Kirk, his hair having grown much longer and tad thicker. The blond still wore the captain's shirt but it suited him a bit better with his larger build now, he was also wearing a pair of the protocol black pants that were much too big for him.

McCoy continued to stare at the boy blankly and hoping it was all just a dream. Yesterday he was babysitting a toddler and today he was stuck with and who-knows-how old. He tried remembering what Spock had said before. Something about time altering substances.

"Wait, how old are you?" Leonard asked the small boy in front of him.

"I'm four and a half!" The boy grinned, setting his hands on both sides of his hips. _Alright, it's been a little less than a day and he has aged two and a half year, _Bones mentally older man inwardly grinned as he longer had to change diapers.

"Where are we?" Jim tilted his head to the side. Leonard stared at him again, reminded about the captain's slowly returning memory as well. Should he tell the four year old what was going on? The doctor was afraid it might alter Jim's recovery or maybe just embarrass himself with the disbelieving child. But four year olds believed anything people told them right?

"You don't know where you are?" Bones asked, trying to test the boy's memory. Jim nodded. "Then how do you know my name or well, nickname?"

"I dunno." The boy shrugged. There was an awkward silence, the boy ducking his head down to play with the sheets in his hands. His eyes darkened slightly as he stared at the older man again before asking, "Are-are you one of mommy's friends?"

"_Mommy_'s friends?" Bones repeated. For a moment he was unsure how to answer. If he said yes, perhaps he would establish a trust with the boy without plainly saying they had been friends for years and that he had somehow gotten his body stuck in a four year old's body. But then he remembered how Jim sometimes talked about all the trouble he caused his stepfather and somehow understood the cold tone the boy was suddenly giving him. _Oh._ "Um no, actually I'm _your_ friend."

"You're not my friend, you're old!" Jim exclaimed. "You're not allowed!"

"Thanks." McCoy scratched at his head, yawning slightly and stretching his arms as he tried to shake the sleep off his body. "Where did you find those pants?" Bones inquired. The blond pointed to his side and McCoy twitched slightly seeing his drawers open with his clothing scattered across the floor. He quickly got up and picked the clothing around the room. He wouldn't have let the child sleep in his room if he was going to wake up to this, but he supposed he couldn't have exactly predicted waking up to a four year old jumping on him.

"Where are we?" Jim asked again, sitting on the side of the bed and letting his legs dangle from the edge.

Bones threw the gathered clothes in his arms at a near by chair, running a hand through his hair before answering, "You're on the starship _Ent-"_

"Enterprise." The boy finished for the older man in a murmur. McCoy simply nodded, watching the blond's expression as some of his memory returned to him. There was obvious confusion in his face and Bones quickly turned his attention to his clock. It said 6 am.

"It's too early for me to deal with this." Leonard rubbed at his face. He needed to shave. Shuffling through the new pile he just made, he grabbed a clean blue shirt and turned towards Jim. "You sit here, I need to get dressed."

The boy looked at him awkwardly, continuing to wave his legs from the side of the bed. McCoy quickly handed his PADD to him, set it to a blank file and handed the boy the stylus. "Just draw on this or something while you wait, can you do that?" He sighed in relief when the boy nodded.

With the younger Jim's confirmation, Bones quickly headed for the shower, washing his body as fast as he could, afraid the boy might run off somewhere without him knowing. He got changed, brushed his teeth and shaved before leaving the washroom, bearing a surprised face when he saw Jim sitting exactly where he had left him, quietly poking at the PADD.

There were a few times Bones completely forgot that the boy in front of him was the James T. Kirk he had known so long and this was one of those times. McCoy sat himself a foot away from the blond and dried his hair while shifting his eyes slightly to see what the boy was drawing. The screen was blank.

"What's wrong? Don't like drawing?" Bones asked, fixing his hair to the side.

"I dunno what to draw…" Jim mumbled. The tone was not sad but plain. The older man wondered what the boy must have been doing then. He looked again at Jim, seeing those blues eyes staring at the door.

"I have to go to my shift. Come on, I'll show you around." Bones said, outstretching his hand and taking away the small device from the child.

"Mommy says I shouldn't follow strangers." Jim said in a matter of fact way.

"Yeah well, it's either you follow me or you don't get any breakfast." Bones warned. The boy's eyes widened and he quickly followed McCoy out of the room, hiking his overly large pants up and trying not to trip.

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"What do you want to eat?" McCoy looked down at the smaller Jim Kirk that was holding onto the edge of his shirt and looking at the people around him shyly. They had managed to find a proper pair of pants for him now, much thanks to Keenser small size. They were still a tad baggy for the boy's shorter legs but he didn't seem to mind.

"Ummm." The boy murmured. "I dunno."

Bones mumbled under his breath and turned his head from side to side. _What's with kids and their inability to make decisions? Honestly._ "If you don't pick anything, I'll pick for you." He lied. The boy probably wouldn't eat anything he chose for him, just like the older Jim Kirk and he'd be damned if either Jims didn't eat anything. Bones forced himself to be patient a little longer.

"Ummmmm!" The boy repeated, jumping at his spot in slight frustration, unable to make a choice. He looked up at the older man hopefully. "Will you share with me?"

"Well what do you want?"

"I want waffles..." Jim said anxiously. The blond unconsciously bit at his overly long sweater sleeves waiting for Bones to answer. His face brightened when McCoy grabbed a plate of waffles from the food replicator, though his smile seemed to thin when the man also reached for some fruit and juice.

"But I don't want those!" Kirk frowned, setting his foot on the floor firmly. Bones picked up an extra dish and some utensils before looking down at the angered boy.

"You can't just stuff your face with waffles." Leonard glanced at the slightly red faced Jim beside him. The blond simply crossed his arms and followed Bones to a nearby table. McCoy put a few waffles onto the extra plate while adding an apple before handing it to Jim.

"I want more." The boy said, picking up his fork.

"Finish what you have then I'll give you more." Bones countered before taking a bite of his own breakfast. The two received a few curious glances from other crew members and Bones was sure by now that everyone knew what had happened to their captain. Gossip was pretty much the only thing that kept the ship's crew alive. Jim continued to munch at his waffles in silence, completely ignoring the apple on his plate, much to Bones' dismay.

Finishing the rest of their food, Bones was a bit taken back by how much the four year old could eat. _Maybe all the energy it takes for him to grow so quickly?_ He would probably have to ask Spock about that.

They decided to make a short stop by the bridge before going off to the Med bay. Approaching the turbo lift, Jim quickly stopped in his tracks. Bones turned to look at the troubled boy, walking back to where he was standing at kneeling down to his height.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't feel good." Jim mumbled, burying his head in the warmth of the older man's chest. Maybe he over ate? It was well possible as the boy managed to down almost three plates of waffles, but seeing as Jim set his hands over his ears that wasn't the case.

McCoy quickly placed the back of his hand against the boy's forehead; he did not feel too warm. No fever. Jim gripped at his shirt tightly as he scooped him up and brought the boy directly to the sickbay. The blond instantly curled into a small ball when Bones set him onto the bed and the doctor was sure the boy's current condition had to do with what ever time altering stuff he had in his body.

"Just lay here." McCoy ordered, about to run off and fetch nurse Chapel. The boy lay quietly in the bed when Bones grabbed a small cover to keep Jim warm before leaving.

"Good thing you aren't one of mommy's friend." The boy grinned softly in that joking tone that Bones was so accustomed to. McCoy looked back as he reached to doorway, looking back at the blond boy covered in blankets. "I don't like them."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Thank you all for waiting so patiently and, of course, for the reviews, they brighten my day.

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**Chapter 4**

"I gave him a hypo to get the pain off and let him sleep." Bones crossed his arms, coming close to Spock's side in front of the unconscious boy. His breathing was slightly uneven which concerned the doctor, though he tried to hide it from the half-Vulcan. "What do you think?"

"It seems the rapid and constant growth of the Captain is causing strain to his body and mind, unable to adapt quickly enough to his recovery." Spock murmured. Bones had called over the First Officer later in the day when Jim had been complaining nonstop at the pain in his head and limbs.

The boy lay unmoving now besides the slight heaving of his chest and Bones took a moment to look him over. Jim had grown some more during his sleep and his baggy pants now fit him perfectly. His hair had lengthened as well, as his facial features became much more defined. The doctor could tell the boy had probably reached the age of six by now.

"Do you suppose the pain will be constant?" McCoy inquired, eyes shifting towards the half-Vulcan.

"I am unable to answer in the current time, but there is a seventy three point two percent chance that shall be the case." Spock replied, turning his head slightly to peer at the worried doctor. "Doctor, if I may inquire as to your concern over the Captain?"

"What do you mean?" McCoy furrowed his brow. Shouldn't it be obvious?

"Forgive my prodding, but I have not failed to overlook your heightened interest in the Captain's well being as of late." Spock explained; his voice laced with curiosity, if that were possible.

"Well if my best friend suddenly turns into a kid obviously I'm going to be a bit more concerned."

"That seems...logical enough." Spock murmured. The half-Vulcan tilted his head down for a moment as if slipping into reverie. "Another question, doctor."

"What?" Bones growled, letting his annoyance for the First Officer get to him. The other man did not seem to catch the change in tone or simply paid no mind to it as he continued to speak.

"Aside from your concern over our Captain, would you be able to explain your change in behaviour towards him?"

"Such as?"

"Your verbal attacks towards the Captain have lessened as well as your patience for his usual _strange_ behaviour..." Spock plainly answered, folding his hands behind him.

"Well, he's a kid. You can't treat a child the same way you would with a twenty something year old, could you?"

"Vulcan children are treated the same as adults on my planet." Spock explained. "It is only logical that we Vulcans be treated similar ways, though my mother used make gestures close to yours now, much to my father's dismay." The half-Vulcan's voice lowered almost to a soft whisper as his eyes seemed to glaze over in remembrance.

McCoy gave a simple nod, careful not to disturb the First Officer and momentarily returned his attention towards the sleeping Jim. The boy shifted slightly, turning over to his other side on the bed and grumbling incoherent words as the hypo began to wear off. The movement seemed break Spock's short train of thought as he spoke again.

"There is a chance that the pain the Captain is currently suffering from may depend at his age, seeing as the human anatomy significantly changes in the early years of childhood and adolescence."

"Hm, makes sense." Bones said, hand running along his chin and jaw as he took the half-Vulcan's comment to mind. It was a bit too early to tell but was certainly a plausible theory. Jim moved on the bed again.

"Indeed, Doctor, if it were not _logical_ I would not have told you." Spock murmured, and both men felt their dislike for one another heighten once again. Bones did not hide his glare towards the half-Vulcan, swiftly returned with an amused look and raising of a brow.

'_That cocky green blooded hobgoblin...' _Bones twitched slightly while clenching his fist. If there weren't a sleeping child in the room he would have long thrown a remark at the First Officer. He exhaled deeply, grabbing his datapad to insert his observations over Jim to keep his mind occupied from Spock not too far away.

"Bridge to First Officer Spock ." The familiar voice of Lt. Uhura suddenly echoed in the room. McCoy sighed in relief at the sound. The other man quickly strode to the monitor on the doctor's desk.

"Speaking," Spock answered.

"Mr. Spock, you are needed in the Bridge." Uhura said.

"I shall be there shortly." Spock returned in his somewhat monotone voice before ending the transmission. The First Officer turned towards the doctor a small boy before leaving the Med bay. "Good day, Dr. McCoy."

"And good riddance." Bones growled when the half Vulcan passed through the door. There was a strange silence when the Vulcan finally left. Bones continued to occupy himself with watching the sleeping Jim but eventually brought himself to help a few people, saving the worn nurse Chapel. The most severe injury was from a crew member in engineering that managed to burn themselves with a broken circuit which Bones managed to patch up quickly. There were also a few cases of crew members coming down with a cold but were easily fixed with a hypospray.

In the middle of his shift he decided to check up on Jim, wondering if he had woken up yet. Stepping close to the blond, the boy seemed to sense his presence and began to wake.

"Hey, you." Leonard greeted softly as Jim's eyes began to open. The blond blinked, staring plainly at the older man as he tried to register who he was. He relaxed at the familiar sight of the doctor.

"Am I sick?" Jim murmured, drawing the sheets closer to his body in anticipation. His throat felt dry and he wished for a glass of water but couldn't find the desire to ask for one until the doctor answered his question.

"A little bit." Leonard replied.

"Ohh..." The boy's face dropped and Bones frowned.

"But you'll get better soon." McCoy added. His words seemed to make Jim feel a bit better as his eyes didn't seem to look so sad anymore and the doctor's small scowl thinned.

"Do you promise?" Jim asked hopefully and Bones wasn't sure how to answer. He could not exactly lie because he was not sure himself, but it would seem cruel to simply tell the child to wait and see. McCoy had never been the best with promises and commitment and did not necessarily feel like trying his luck again so soon. He could not hesitate when he answered; children always had a way with pointing out when people tried to beat around the bush, so instead he decided to change the topic completely.

"Hey, how about we do something? We never made our trip to the Bridge." Bones commented and Jim shook his head, the one the doctor wished he didn't do.

"I don't want to." Jim said as he sat up. He didn't seem to pay attention to his new body, most likely becoming accustomed to constantly changing or his mind simply telling him that was how he always was.

"Well, alright." Bones nodded, his eyes darted towards the clock by his desk which now showed fifteen minutes to five. "Are you still hungry? You slept for quite a while."

"Little bit." The blond's quiet tone continued, hinting at disappointment and disinterest. He just may have the most depressed six year old Bones had ever seen, though he had not been around any children for quite a while, it was hard to tell.

"Want me to get you something from the replicator?" Bones asked softly and the boy quietly nodded. McCoy could tell no other words would help in cheering the young Jim up so he just let him be, staring blankly at the Med Bay walls.

Leonard wasn't gone very long and returned with a small plate of fruits and vegetables in the blink of an eye. Jim had relaxed to a content state though the blond looked at the dish in slight distaste but ate at the few carrot sticks and apple slices Bones handed him. The older man took the liberty of leaning against the edge of the bed, in his position he managed to see an illuminated screen poking out from the covers.

"Drawing now?" Bones asked, watching as the boy piled the blankets around himself and grabbing a few orange slices; eventually, his head and arms were the only thing completely visible from the blankets. Jim nodded before sneaking out the datapad and poking at the screen before showing the interested doctor.

"That's me." Jim explained, pointing at the small stick man on the PADD screen. Bones grinned at the spiked hair the boy gave himself, along with the overly large head and small drawn limbs. Jim shifted his other hand away to show another person and pointed at the drawing again. "This one's you."

"Why am I so angry looking?" Leonard murmured, looking deeper at the device screen. The stick man Jim was clearly double his stick man Bones' size, baring the same overly large circular head but had an angry face shown with a frown made up of a large zigzag.

"Because you're always like that." Jim giggled, ducking his head into his cave of blankets. Bones stared at him plainly, biting at the inside of his cheek at the comment.

"Just eat your food." He said and Jim reached for a celery stick, munching at the vegetable while finishing up his drawing on the PADD. The rest of the drawing was made up an array of things such as a small ship at one corner that Jim said was the Enterprise. The boy later showed him a picture of a stick man Spock with an overly large smile, which both disturbed and amused McCoy, creating a strange mental image of the grinning Vulcan in his head.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N **Thanks for all the reviews. I love hearing what you guys think and your ideas. They take off some of the writer's block I'm having lately. So if you have any thoughts, like maybe a certain age you want more of later, don't be afraid to put down a comment. On to the story –THE PLOT THICKENS!

**Chapter 5**

Bones' PADD had somehow managed to become glued to Kirk's hands; fortunately, only metaphorically speaking. Feet dangling from the side of the medical bed, the stylus never seemed to leave his hand. Drawing had become the only thing that the blond could properly occupy his time with and he attached himself to it, holding it firmly against his chest when Bones asked for it to check some of his medical files.

"Jim, I need that to work." McCoy argued, coming close to Kirk. He had planned on spending some time in the Med bay working the next day now that Jim was much easier to manage, besides the small tantrum he was having at the moment. The boy shook his head while making a sound of displeasure before taking the PADD and hiding it under his captain's shirt. Bones grunted in annoyance, crossing his arms and Jim grinned, feeling had won.

"Don't make me take it back from there 'cause I will." Leonard threatened and Kirk shook his head again. Caught between Bones and the sick bay wall, Kirk pouted, not believing the doctor's plan of action.

"No, you won't!" Jim exclaimed while holding the data pad a little tighter against him. "You can get another one!"

"There are important files on this one though." Bones urged, but still couldn't win the boy over. Did this child not care that there was possible life saving notes on that PADD? Or maybe even notices the doctor had to remember? Did this child have no shame? No, of course not, this was Jim Kirk he was talking about. The blond remained silent while giving Bones a dark glare the doctor wasn't even aware a child could make. "I'll give it back to you later."

"Can I put it on the table?" Jim murmured, pointing at the doctor's desk with one hand while still holding the PADD with his other. McCoy bit the inside of his cheek for a moment. Something felt off. _'First he won't hand it over, now he's negotiating…'_

"Why don't you hand it to me instead?" Bones furrowed his brow, watching Jim carefully. The boy shook his head and pointed at the table again. Leonard quickly regretted taking Kirk on his offer as he hopped off the bed and made his way towards the doctor's desk before tricking him and sprinting out the sick bay.

Bones blinked, taking a second to realize what just happened before rushing out the room. He gripped at the doorframe, turning his head in both directions but the boy was no where to be found._ "THAT LITTLE-"_

Jim breathed heavily as he scurried the corridors to hide from the annoyed Bones. It was difficult to find a good spot to dodge the angered man as all the doors looked the same and were firmly shut. At the end of a hallway, his breathing heightened when he reached a dead end. Turning his head both sides, his eyes landed at a particular door. He stared at it blankly, unsure why it caught his attention.

The keypad to enter was slightly out of reach and he frowned when he still couldn't push at the buttons when he stood at his toes. Continuing to hold the data pad against him, an expression of awe crossed his face as he jumped to push in the right numbers. In his six year old mind, he began believing maybe he was some sort of superhero; the ones humans from the twenty first century spoke about. How else would he know all these things about the ship? He grinned in success as the door opened and ran in.

McCoy bit his tongue sharply trying his best not to throw a _'Damnit, Jim!'_ in the middle of the hallway and continued looking. A few crew members passing by stared at him curiously but he brushed it off. When his eyes caught Sulu and Chekov talking in the hallway, he quickly approached them. Pavel jolted slightly, caught off guard when the doctor approached him out of no where but quickly composed himself. Sulu, on the other hand, was unfazed; or his hid surprise better than the Russian.

"Have you guys seen Jim?" Bones said, trying to hide the anger in his voice. He failed miserably as both men looked at each other before returning their attention to the older man.

"No, haven't seen him since yesterday actually." Hikaru answered. "How is the captain actually? Back to normal yet?" It was a dumb question, but the helmsman thought making conversation would calm McCoy down a notch.

"I wish. " Leonard groaned in defeat. "And he's fine, if not being a real pain."

"Did you lose the keptin, Mr. McCoy?" Chekov asked, catching on a little slower than the two other men. Hikaru gave a small nudge at the side and the ensign twitched, confused.

"You could say that." Bones pinched at the bridge of his nose for a moment. "The kid ran off somewhere."

"Want any help?" Sulu offered, sensing the doctor's trouble. Even a blind man could easily tell when something bothered McCoy.

"No, I'm fine. You guys go on with whatever you were doing." McCoy gave an absent wave at his hand when he left the two. Three people looking for one child would be much easier, but the doctor did not find the need to bother the younger men for something this…._ridiculous._

It would have been much easier to find Jim if he were back to his normal state. '_Go to a bar or something and there he is.' _Bones felt the corner of his mouth twitch in remembrance. Of course, he didn't expect the younger Jim to be found anywhere with alcoholic beverages. Unless for some strange unexplainable reason the taste for some Andorian ale or Saurian brandy came back to him, Leonard didn't think much on it. If Jim did have some craving for alcohol, nobody on the ship would even think of giving it to a six year old child, right?

There was also another possible place the Jim McCoy remembered could be, but he doubt the captain's playboy personality came back either. The female crew would humour the child if he did anything anyways. Suppose that could be something Bones was thankful for.

"Crossed off two places, that just leaves the other hundred possibilities." McCoy ran a hand down his face. His stomach grumbled as he continued to search for Jim. _'Another thing he needs to do when he's back to normal: buy me dinner.'_

_______________________________

Jim stepped into the dim lighted room quietly. He turned his head from side to side, wondering if anyone was inside. A strange feeling overcame him as he began to acknowledge the few things lying around. The small knick knacks on the desk seemed so familiar yet foreign. Climbing onto the large chair close by, he reached for them with his short arms. As he picked up a miniature model of the Enterprise, he could not shake off the nostalgia as he noticed the little details on the toy ship. It was a slightly frightening feeling, as if he were experiencing déjà vu.

There was also a familiar scent in the room that Jim began to notice. It was welcoming and he was a bit surprised that he caught it. He paused his exploration, unable to fight the temptation of jumping onto the large bed. He wondered who could be so important to have such a huge room like this.

"I wish this was my room..."Jim murmured. Against the plush bed, he acknowledged the small pain that remained at the back of his head and the faint ringing in his ears. As he lay quietly, simply concentrating at his own body, he noticed the small tingling at his legs and arms. The tingling you get from a good stretch. He sighed and suddenly felt something poking at his chest.

Shuffling, he removed Bones' PADD from its hiding place under his shirt. Maybe he should have given it back... The blond's mind had been a complete mess lately as he could barely remember the simplest things yet found himself learning new ones that he was sure he already knew, but still he could tell something was bothering the doctor. He did not want Bones to be angry with him.

Jim expected to be in a handful of trouble when McCoy finally found him and he bit back the urge to frown. The doctor was obviously cranky with him, but it wasn't his fault! Well, at least not completely his fault. Bones was always angry…

Kirk suddenly sat up when his eyes caught a small flashing light from the bedside table. Moving closer, little hands picked up the device that he discovered to be another PADD. The machine turned on automatically when Jim's fingers grazed the screen and he blinked as the bright light illuminated his face in the dim room.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust and see the writing on the screen. He could not read the finely typed words and did not intend on making an effort to do so as most of them had over five to six letters. Scrolling down, he felt his attention faltering at the boring document. Whoever's room this was had to be important to have so many forms to fill; Jim decided he would never want to have that person's job.

Flipping through the file a little longer, blues eyes settled onto the corner of the screen that bared a signature that caused the boy to gasp. _James T. Kirk._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Bones sighed heavily and collapsed onto his desk chair. He had searched most of the main rooms of the ship and had to take a short break before continuing to look for Kirk. Jim was nowhere to be found in the mess hall, the recreation room, or even the bridge. Leonard rolled his eyes as he recalled what the First Officer had said to him as he entered, turning his head both directions before uttering a string of curses.

'Doctor, I ask that you refrain from expressing your frustration in such a vulgar fashion while on the bridge.' The Vulcan murmured from the Captain's chair, not even swivelling it to face McCoy. Leonard did not reply, instead releasing a short scowl and leaving the room before the Vulcan tested his patience some more. As if the hobgoblin could take care of a six year old captain better than he could. He'd like to see that.

"Damn Vulcan…" McCoy spat. The doors to the Med bay suddenly slid open and Leonard gave a nod of acknowledgement as nurse Chapel entered. Christine made a small face, catching McCoy's curse when she came in. It was no secret to Leonard that nurse Chapel harboured feeling for the Vulcan, and though she already explained how it would not interfere with her work she wished the doctor would not speak so lowly of the First Officer so often...

"No luck in finding the Captain, Doctor?" The nurse asked softly, coming close to man.

"No, not yet." Leonard rubbed at his jaw in exhaustion, feeling the short stubble under his fingers. He released an exasperated sigh. "I have no idea where he could be. I've looked everywhere, the bridge, the recreation room..." He drew on. An alternate idea could be to simply wait in the Med bay for Jim to return, but he doubt the child would give in so easily.

"Doctor, have you tried looking in the Captain's room?" Chapel asked, noting it was not on the list of places the doctor had searched. It was a little comment and she already expected Dr. McCoy to have already looked there, but she asked to make sure.

"Pardon?" Leonard's eyes widened and he swivelled his chair to face her. Christine blinked at the awestruck expression she received.

"The Captain's room, doctor." Chapel repeated, confused.

"Well, I never thought about that. Didn't think he would have enough of his memory back to know where it was..." Bones murmured. Jim's room, of course! How could he have been so blind, so stupid as to forget a place like that? Now that he thought of it, it seemed too obvious and should have been the first place he searched. If only he had thought of that sooner maybe his stomach wouldn't be grumbling as much as it was doing now.

"It would not hurt to try." The nurse smiled gently. Maybe he would catch the casual mark from her tone of voice. The doctor nodded slowly, getting up from his chair. "Is there anything else you need help with?" Christine asked. A little over an hour remained of their shift and she didn't mind stopping by the replicator for a cup of tea or coffee. She would not admit it but the captain's current condition was getting to her too.

"No, Chapel, I'm quite alright, but thank you for asking." McCoy returned the soft smile to the nurse. She replied with a curt nod. "I appreciate your extra help around the Med bay lately."

"I am simply doing my job, doctor." Christine replied, returning to her station as the older man left. She sighed in exhaustion when she heard the door closing and basked at the rare moment of pure silence.

Jim quickly dropped the device and scrambled as far as he could until his back connected against the wall. His gulped, feeling as if his heart had somehow gone to his throat; but was reassured by its quickened beating at his chest. The data pad remained illuminated on the bed where he had dropped it and he stared at the device with wide eyes.

It couldn't be coincidence. He remarked the interested stares he received when he was with Bones. As if they knew something he didn't and he finally realized what. Trying to fit the pieces together his mind became a bit clearer. The pain in his head intensified for a moment before leaving a dull ache. This room was his, but how? Bones had told him he was sick, yet never told him what was wrong.

For a moment, betrayal overcame fear in the boy's mind and he bit his lip firmly. _Stupid Bones. _He tilted his head down, stretching the gold shirt in front of him. A command shirt. He puffed his cheeks, trying to recollect little details from his recent discharge of memory.

Wandering to his drawers, he began pulling out what ever article of clothing he could get his hands on. Touching at the familiar fabrics, the little rips and tears on the shirts seemed to bring back some of his memory. Fighting. His fingers grazed a large hole on a black undershirt. A few stains remained, unable to be washed off and a faint smell of grease was picked up. A few rips were also found on the sleeves and at the chest.

Dropping the shirt, Jim pulled up his sweater and examined his belly, looking for any scar that might resemble the tear in the fabric. Disappointment crossed as his face as he found his skin bearing no mark. What else could explain what happened to him now? What evidence remained to prove that he was truly the man that this room belonged to?

"There you are!" He suddenly heard a familiar voice.

Jim quickly turned his head, seeing the angered doctor behind him. There was a look of triumph behind that scowl, but Kirk didn't pay much attention as he scurried away, afraid the doctor was about to attack him. Instead, Bones only picked up his PADD and gave a sigh of relief. Examining the mess in the room, he plainly asked; "What happened in here?"

"What's wrong with me?" Jim questioned, his moment of fear replaced by the puzzling thoughts swarming in his head. "Tell me! Tell me!"

"Do you want me to take out my list or do you want it straight off the bat?" Bones crossed his arms.

"What's happening to me?" Kirk continued to ask. Seeing the illuminated data pad at the edge of the bed, Bones tilted his head to get a better look at the screen before understanding what Jim was talking about. Turning off the data pad, he gave an exasperated sigh. His stomach grumbled again.

"Come with me and I'll explain."

"I'M CAPTAIN?" Jim suddenly outburst and almost choked on his spaghetti. He coughed and Bones grumbled and patted at the boy's back, a bit annoyed that he didn't mind covering his mouth. There was a hum of chatter around them as crew members stared at the boy in curiosity. By this time the mess hall was full with people, eager to sit down and finally relax after a day's work and for some, to catch a bite before starting their shift.

Bones had spent the past half an hour trying to explain what had happened to the boy. Jim listened eagerly while munching at his dinner. It seemed there was an extent to how much Kirk could remember each day. Much of the information the blond could recall were basic; names of certain crewmen, where particular places were, and small codes. McCoy could expect Jim to remember more detailed procedures by the next day and was relieved. He had cut out details to the boy, trying his best not to confuse him too much and plainly said that he turned into a child and would take a week to recover. And as much as they both wanted to know exactly why this happened in the first place, the answer was out of reach as Jim could not remember.

"Wipe your face." McCoy sighed, rubbing at his temple for a moment. He covered his eyes as Jim quickly cleaned the sauce on his face with his shirt sleeve before he could say anything. "Use a napkin next time." Bones murmured, looking through his fingers at the boy who still had a few bits of food on his face. Grumbling, McCoy picked up his own cloth and wiped Jim's mouth and cheeks. The boy tried slapping him away, the man's grip at his chin too hard, the napkin at his face rubbing too roughly.

"Ow, you're hurting me!" Jim swatted at Leonard's arm and the doctor backed off, returning the boy's glare with a scowl.

"Good god, what do you want me to do?" Bones exclaimed, unable to contain his own annoyance. His voice was evened out by the equally loud voices of crewmen surrounding them but Jim managed to catch to man's frustration and quickly fell silent.

"I want to go to bed..." Jim mumbled, looking down at his half cleared plate of pasta. His cheeks still felt a bit sore from Bones' rough handling, but didn't say anything. McCoy calmed himself and slumped his shoulders in exhaustion, seeing the saddened boy in beside him.

Giving in, he finished off his own dish of food and walked with Jim down the corridor to their proper rooms. The boy remained either a few feet ahead or behind the doctor as they strolled down the hallway. His head stayed down and stared blankly at the floor. Leonard glanced at Jim ever so often and mentally slapped himself every time the blond looked up at him, frowned, and returned his head to its previous position.

"You can sleep in your own room tonight, right?" McCoy asked as they approached the boy's room. Jim nodded quietly. His gesture ate at the older man's conscience, but his stubbornness stopped him from apologizing for his outburst. "Then I'm going then."

The boy ran into his room without another word and Bones sighed deeply. _'Two days down and five more to go.'_ Leonard counted, making his way back to his room. There was a good glass of bourbon waiting for him. He hoped tomorrow would be a better day, a good portion on Jim's memory had returned so the doctor didn't plan in going through large explanations again. It also felt good having his room to himself again. He felt assured of not being jumped on the following morning.

He did not get far down the corridor before feeling a small pull at his pant leg. Looking down, eyes feel upon a top of blond hair and blues eyes staring up at him. His expression didn't look as depressed but frightened now.

"What's wrong?"

"It's dark in my room." Jim tugged a little harder at McCoy's leg. He looked up at the doctor hopefully.

"Then leave a light on." McCoy countered, and scolded himself as the boy's frown reappeared, as if he had been hit. The comment didn't hurt Jim as much this time and his cheerless attitude quickly turned to a mix of anger and desperation.

"What-what if monsters attack me?" Kirk exclaimed, giving Bones' pant leg a few pulls for emphasis. McCoy's balance momentarily faltered, caught off guard by the child's strength; but he swiftly composed himself.

"Nothing is going to attack you." Leonard took a step back, tired of having the boy tugging at his trousers_. 'If you keep on persisting I'll attack you.'_ Bones wanted to say but controlled himself. He felt as if he was taking an anger management class. Forcing himself solely curse in his mind was driving himself insane and suddenly the glass of bourbon in his room seemed a step farther away.

"B-but I'm Captain! You have to protect me! " Jim did not step closer to the older man, but crossed his arms and stood as tall as he could. "Captain's orders!"

"No!" Bones groaned, tempted to simply run off to his room and hide there for the next five days.

"But-"Jim took a step back as the man raised his voice again, but refused to give up. He set his foot firmly on the floor. "Please."

McCoy pinched at the bridge of his nose for a second. There was no winning with this child. "Fine, fine, but I'm only going to stay a little while."

Jim jumped in success and pulled the rather reluctant doctor in his room_. 'Just one more time, just one more time.' _Bones repeated in his head as he turned on the lights. He helped Jim change out of his dirty captain's shirt and replaced the black one with the smallest size they could find in the drawer. It wasn't an easy task, as Jim's clothes remained sprawled across the floor, but they managed.

Brushing their teeth, Jim laughed at foam on his face, commenting he was some rabid space creature out to eat the doctor.

"If that's the case, I suppose a hypospray is an order." Bones joked, and the boy went silent and rinsed his mouth.

McCoy set himself onto the couch, trying his best not to get too comfortable. Intending to only have a short nap while he waited for Jim to sleep, he only comforted himself with a pillow. Jim; on the other hand, happily buried himself in his sheets. The room was silent for a good while, which Bones spent staring blankly at the ceiling. He shifted ever so often as he found himself drifting into unconsciousness and his desire to return to his room wavered.

"Bones. Are you awake?" Jim whispered. He tilted his head to see the older man on the couch running a hand over his face and suddenly regretted speaking.

"Not anymore." Bones moaned, rolling onto his side. He pulled his pillow over his face, not wanting to open his eyes to the small lights around the room. His voice was rough when he spoke. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry." The boy continued in his hushed tone.

"It's ok, kid, just go to bed." Bones opened and closed his eyes, trying to remember he shouldn't stay in the captain's room too long.

"I can't fall asleep."

"Well it's too late for me to read you something. I'm not giving you another hypo to help you sleep again." Bones rasped; his voice laced with sleep. Jim's previous dose had already been meant for an adult and he couldn't risk giving the boy anymore. Silence. Maybe he fell asleep after all?

"I am going to be a lot older tomorrow, right?" Jim suddenly asked. McCoy removed the pillow from his face and looked at the boy on the bed.

"Hopefully..." Bones answered. Silence again.

"Am I good friend when I'm older?" Jim whispered again. It was a question he had been meaning to ask especially after all the times Bones seemed completely fed up with him. There was a pause before McCoy answered.

"Yes, you are." The older man mumbled and Jim beamed. He did not say anymore for the rest of the night and fell asleep shortly, comforted by Bones' answer.

McCoy shifted on the couch a few minutes after, forcing himself to wake up. Rubbing his eyes and running a hand through his messed hair, he sauntered to the door, assured Jim was sleeping by the faint mumbling coming from the boy's lips and his body unmoving under the pile of blankets. Bones was thankful for the empty hallways as he could have been easily mistaken for a mad man with his dishevelled hair.

Eventually reaching his room, he couldn't find the strength to change properly and simply removed his boots and fell onto his bed. The cold sheets were soothing against his skin and he immediately fell asleep. It had been a long day.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

An alarm suddenly sounded and Jim grumbled, pulling the sheets over his head. His muscles ached and he groaned lowly as the loud beeping continued. Jim outstretched a hand from his large pile of sheets and tried to feel his way to his clock. He relaxed as the alarm stopped and let his hand simply rest over the device as he rubbed his face against his pillow.

The boy rolled out of bed, rubbing his eyes and wandered to the mirror. His pace was slow as he kept his eyes shut, yawning loudly. When he bumped into his drawer, he groaned again and opened his eyes tiredly.

Looking at his reflection, Jim blinked and captured a lock of hair between his fingers to examine the darkened blond colour. By now his hair was just below his eyebrows and he blew upwards trying to brush them to the side.

His hands came out from his sleeves and his pants just a tad over his ankles and a little bit uncomfortable to walk in. Looking at his drawers, he grinned at the pile of clothes laid out for him, most likely from Bones by the small note bearing unreadable scrawl that could only belong to a doctor. After turning the note at all angles, he managed to read the writing.

'_Working in the Med bay, don't forget to get some breakfast.'_

Jim rolled his eyes as Bones underlined the last part of his message. Picking up the new pair of pants, he brought them to his waist, grinning as the pant legs passed his ankles and piled on the floor. They must have been recently washed because he could catch the faint smell of chemicals clinging to them. Out of curiosity, Jim brought his command jersey and black undershirt to his nose and he grimaced at the scent. Maybe that's what you get for not taking a shower for two days.

He glanced at the clock at his bedside table for a moment and his eyes widened as it showed 10 am. _'Yikes!'_

Jim reached for his new set of clothes and wandered into the washroom. He undressed and ran the shower, jumping as the water graced his skin when he entered the small stall. Jim didn't spend too much time in the shower, rushing through washing his hair and scrubbing absentmindedly with soap until he believed he was properly cleansed.

He dressed quickly, almost tripping on his pants as he put them on. His command shirt remained baggy but he was accustomed to it now. He checked his hair again and smiled when he found himself presentable and went on his way to the medical bay. The curious glances from the crewmembers had lessened as if they didn't find the captain as interesting anymore, but Jim still managed to catch a few stares. He basked at his new height and how he could practically reach everything on the ship, and went on enthusiastically to the doctor.

About to enter the Medical bay, Jim suddenly gasped as he bumped into nurse Chapel.

"Oh, Captain!" Christine said in surprise. "Sorry about that dear." She gave him an apologetic touch at the shoulder and his face flushed in slight embarrassment as he rubbed at his forehead and pushed his hair out of his eyes.

"It's ok." Jim smiled softly as Chapel went off down the hall.

An announcement had just started when Kirk entered, and the room echoed with a familiar Russian accent. Jim's eye shifted to the wall and he grinned as Pavel Chekov's face appeared on screen.

The ship had set course for their next planet and was planned to arrive by the middle of tomorrow apparently. Everyone seemed to be either resting up or off preparing for the next few hours, especially McCoy, who was run back and forth around the medical bay, sorting through supplies to be ready for any casualties the following day.

"I can't play with you today, Jim, I'm busy." McCoy murmured while trying to prepare a tray full of hypospray. Jim frowned, looking at the pile of sprays and took a step back afraid he might be punctured by one. The doctor didn't seem to notice as he was too busy rummaging through his drawers and flipping through papers.

"Well, what am I going to do all day then?" Jim complained, jumping up to sit on the medical bed.

McCoy merely gave the boy a short stare before returning to his work, scrawling over his PADD. Jim huffed, crossing his arms and letting his legs dangle off the medical bed. He occupied his time watching the doctor continue to walk around the sick bay. Bones was not as taken with being questioned at everything he did and Jim frowned.

"Why did you set my alarm so late?" Kirk asked, leaning onto his elbows on the medical bed. Bones did not reply to him the first time he asked, or the second time, or the third. Jim eventually gave up asking and left the doctor alone.

"Your body needs to rest much longer and more frequently while you're getting better." McCoy finally responded and Jim puffed one of his cheeks in mild irritation. It made sense, and Jim remarked the constant soreness in his limbs. His headache wasn't as bad today and was a mere tingling at the back of his head.

Jim sat on the medical bed a little longer, tilting back and forth to entertain himself as he watched Bones filling forms on his data pad. When he decided Leonard wasn't going to do anything more interesting than watching grass grow, he hopped off the cot.

He tried not to look too upset when he left the medical bay, but he selfishly hoped Bones would see the frown on his face. Jim was disappointed when McCoy didn't say anything, or maybe the doctor did and he simply missed it. He couldn't help but wish for the latter to be true.

Going through the list of names in his mind, he tried to think of some people that shouldn't be too busy with preparing the ship. It was difficult trying to remember as he had trouble putting a face to the name. The second person he was most familiar about would be Spock. The First Officer shouldn't be too occupied as the ship had already set its course and Jim decided that was a good place to start.

He made it a game to point at the rooms and try to remember who they belonged too. He was confident in his guesses and was sure he reached Spock's when he reached the lower end of the maze of hallways. Knocking at the door, Jim couldn't shake off the feeling shouldn't have done that. He waited for a little while, turning his head back and forth as people passed behind him. The door finally opened and Spock looked down at his captain curiously. Catching a glimpse of the Vulcan's room, Jim's face reddened as he saw the dimly lighted room, simply illuminated by a few candles on different surfaces. He felt a bit bad for disturbing his First Officer while he was meditating, but couldn't do much as Spock continued to stare at him with silent interest.

"Um, do you wanna play with me?" Jim asked before the Vulcan could say anything. Spock arched a brow.

"Captain?"

"Bones is busy today," Jim shifted his eyes, kicking at the ground. "So..." He wouldn't be too surprised if the Vulcan said 'No' but he could always try. Spock was taking over his job until he was normal again, so he most likely very busy with other little things he might have forgotten to take into consideration.

"Very well." The Vulcan answered and Jim's eyes widened in a mix of surprise and happiness. The First Officer let the boy enter before shutting the door. Jim blinked as Spock turned on the lights and let himself get accustomed to the thick scent of smoke. He examined the room quietly as the Vulcan blew out his candles. It was very similar to Jim's room with the exception of lack of decoration.

"Perhaps a game of chess?" Spock offered.

"Chess?" Jim said curiously. The boy's face was blank as the Vulcan reached for the large board on the shelf after putting away his candles. It certainly wasn't something he expected when Spock agreed to play with him, but he shouldn't be too surprised. A strange image came to mind now as Jim imagined his First Officer playing a game of hide and seek with him instead and he couldn't withhold his grin.

"Indeed." Spock gave a short nod. His eyes flickered with interest as the boy pondered at the idea of chess now.

"I can't remember how to play chess..." Jim murmured, staring at the board with unfamiliarity. Spock set the chess board on a small table at the side of the room with Kirk following behind him. His pace was slow as he couldn't find the will to walk faster to catch up with the half-Vulcan. It was a bit disheartening to play when the game set was taller than you sitting down.

"Then I shall teach you." Spock countered, placing the king piece in its proper place at the highest platform and Jim bit his lip.

"Do I play chess when I'm older?" Kirk asked. Seating himself opposite from the First Officer, he watched the other man continue to set the pieces in their proper place on the board. Apparently he was playing white.

"Affirmative, in fact, we partake in the pastime frequently." The Vulcan explained. This seemed to give Jim enough reassurance of his skill and the First Officer's lip twitched into his familiar smirk as the boy agreed to go against him. "As white, you may make the first move."

Jim nodded, picking up his pawn and biting his lip as he tried to decide where he should place it. Finally setting it down, he looked up at Spock, seeing the Vulcan raise his eyebrows to an expression he wasn't too sure about. Maybe he made the wrong move? Maybe just something Spock didn't see that coming? Maybe both?

"Fascinating." The Vulcan momentarily touched his chin as his eyes graced the board for a few seconds before making his move with outmost precision. The action seemed to make something click in Jim's mind, and he reached for his knight and set it on the board, feeling something in his gut that it was the right move to make. The curious look on Spock's face never seemed to falter.

The rest of the game continued in the same fashion and Jim became a little more determined with each move while Spock remained stoic as usual. Moving his queen a few spots, Kirk believed he might strike a nerve in the Vulcan.

"Check." Jim grinned, folding his arms. "Got you."

"Hmmm." Spock murmured, examining the chess board. "Though your skill is still fairly unmatched to your older self. I am pleased your proud demeanour remains." He gave an eased flick of his wrist, moving his bishop a few squares and taking Jim's queen in the process. "Checkmate."

"What?" Jim exclaimed, rising from his seat to get a better look at the three dimensional board. His king was well surrounded by the Vulcan's pieces and he bared a face of defeat. "N-no fair!"

"Quite the contrary, Captain." Spock returned as Jim continued to examine the board, trying to see where he went wrong. His examination was cut short as something felt like it was biting at his stomach. Jim sat down and set his hand at his belly when the familiar grumble came and frowned, raising his head to meet the Vulcan's.

"Are you hungry?" The boy asked. Bones would probably still be busy in the medical bay, so he didn't bother plan on going to check up on the doctor.

"I am in no need of nourishment in the current time." Spock answered, while resetting the pieces in their proper place. Jim frowned and looked down at his stomach again as much as he didn't want to eat alone, he didn't think he could last waiting for the Vulcan to get hungry too.

"Are you in need of assistance in getting to the mess hall, Jim?" Spock asked, and the boy suddenly blinked at the comfort of having his name spoken by his First Officer. It made him feel silly now, getting worked up about eating by himself and a bit embarrassed being so disappointed with Bones being unable to play with him. He was _captain_, and it was childish getting scared of little things like this. He shook his head.

"I think I'll be ok. I'm captain after all." He jumped off his chair and gave Spock a small wave, thanking him for the game. The Vulcan watched him go, furrowing his brow when the door slid shut before uttering,

"How illogical."


End file.
